Safety-envelop.



J. M. SKBENE'.

SAFETY ENVELOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1911.

1,046,503, Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

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JOSEPH M. SKEENE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY-ENVELOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 25, 1911.

a class of envelops which cannot be surreptitiously opened without detection when once sealed.

My invention has for its object primarily to provide a form of envelop designed to be made in any desired size for use in sending letters, or the like, through the mails and which is adapted to prevent the contents thereof from being extracted or tampered with without mutilation in such a manner as to be noticeable when delivered.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety envelop consisting of new and novel features of construction wherein a part of said envelop when sealed will be caused to adhere to the contents thereof in event of an attempt being made to open the same by any process of steaming or the use of moisture, thus making it impossible to inspect or remove the contents without a partial or complete destruction of the envelop.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of the blank of one form of safety envelop embodying my invention. Fig. 2 illustrates the envelop when formed but leaving the top flap open. Fig. 3 shows the envelop when sealed, and Fig.4 is a section through the envelop.

My safety envelop 10 is formed from a blank, as 11, having a front body portion 12 which is substantially rectangular, or may be square, or other preferred shape, and formed upon the edges of said body are side flaps 13 and 14, a top flap l5 and a bottom flap 16, all of which are adapted to be folded upon the body 12 in the usual manner in forming the envelop proper, as shown in Fig. 3.

The greater portion of the side flaps 13 and 14 may be tapered or have curved upper and lower edges and upon the end of each of said flaps is an angularly formed tip, as 17 and 18. The side flaps 13 and 14 are of a length so that when folded upon the body 12 the tip 18 will overlap the tip 17 at the center line of said body, and one surface of the tip 18 is gummed in order to be adhered to the tip 17.

The bottom flap 16 is tapered or substantially cone-shaped, and its edges are also gummed so as to be adhered to the side fiaps l3' and 14 when folded thereupon in forming an open envelop, as indicated in Fig. 2. Upon the apex of the cone-shaped bottom flap 16 is provided a tongue 19 which is preferably pear-shaped. When the envelop 10 is made-up, as shown in Fig. 2, the tongue 19 is directed over the upper edges of the tips 17 and 18 of the side flaps l3 and 14 and is folded upon the surfaces thereof, as well as the surface of the bottom flap 16, interiorly of the envelop. One surface of the tongue 19 is gummed so that it may be sealed to the tips 17 and 18, the side flaps 13 and 14, and bottom flap 16 when assembled as mentioned.

The top flap 15 is preferably semi-circular in shape. The top flap 15 may be of a size to overlap for a suitable portion the side flaps l3 and 14 and bottom flap 16 in closing the envelop, and may be sealed thereto through the medium of gummed edges, as is usual with envelops of the ordinary form. Substantially midway of the edge of the top flap 15 is a cut-out portion, as 20 Fig. 2, and extending from the transverse edge of the cut-out portion of said tlap is a tongue 21. The tongue 21 is approximately rectangular in shape, or may be of any other desired shape. The rectangular tongue 21 has the edges of one of its surfaces gummed, as 22, whereby an ungummed or blank space 23 is provided centrally thereof, and midway of the opposite surface of said tongue is a gummed portion, as 24, which corresponds to the blank space 22.

In closing my safety envelop the top flap 15 is folded upon the side flaps 13 and 14 and top flap 15 in the customary manner. The tongue 21 is then directed interiorly of the envelop after the gummed edges 22 thereof as well as the gummed edge of the top flap have been previously moistened. The top flap 15 will thereby be sealed upon the exterior surface of the assembled side flaps 13 and 14 and bottom flap 16, and the tongue 21 will be sealed upon inner surfaces of said assembled side and bottom flaps. To prevent opening the envelop especially by the use of steam I provide a hole or small opening 25 and 26 in each of the tips 17 and 18 of the side flaps 13 and 14, an opening 27 in the apex of the bottom flap 16 and an opening 28 in the pear-shaped tongue 19. The openings 25, 26, 27, 28 are adapted to register with each other and also register with the blank space 22 of the tongue 21 when the envelop is sealed so that the moisture from the steam or otherwise will pass through said holes. The gummed portion 2 1 of the tongue 21 will thereby be affected and cause the contents of the envelop to adhere thereto so that it will require a partial or entire destruction of the envelop in order to remove the contents therefrom.

In the foregoing description I have embodied the preferred form of my invention, but I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the principle or sacrificing tips, a gummed surface on one of said tips,

round perforations in said tips adapted to register when folded, a bottom flap having gummed edges adapted to fold over the two side flaps and adhere thereto, an elongated extension to said bottom fiap adapted to fold over the upper edge of the two side flaps, and to extend to the bottom of the envelop 'on the inside thereof, having two round perforations adapted to register with the perforations in said side fiaps when folded, said extension being of such a width that the sides thereof will reach beyond the ends of the side flaps and adhere to the inside of the two side flaps when folded, a gummed surface on said extension whereby the said extension may be made to adhere to the inside of the side flaps, and the bottom flap when folded, an upper flap having gummed edges adapted to adhere to the outer surface of the two side fiaps a rectangular extension to said upper flap having incisions on each side at the base thereof whereby said extension may be inserted in the envelop and the edges of the fiap may engage outside of the two side flaps and the outside surface of the extension is provided with gummed edges adapted to engage the inside of the inwardly folded extension of the lower flap, a blank or ungummed portion in the central part of the outside surface of the rectangular extension, registering with the perforations in the side flaps and the extension of the lower flap when the envelop is closed, and a gummed surface on the opposite side of the-rectangular extension adapted to engage the contents of the envelop when itis closed and covering a space directly beneath the said perforations, all arranged and combined to operate in the manner set forth and for the purposes stated, substantially as shown and described.

This specification signed and witnessed this twenty fourth day of May A. D. 1911. JOSEPH M. SKEENE.

Witnesses:

R0131. B. ABBOTT, E. M. JECKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents 'each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

